What First Coast kids think

Joy Batteh-Freiha

Thursday

May 27, 2010 at 12:22 AM

Hey parents, you may be carrying the burden of our wilting economy on your shoulders but get this: Your middle school-aged kids feel your pain, and they think life today is going pretty darned well - if not great.

If that isn't enough to ease your worries (or confuse you), they believe they can be anything they want in this world.

Plus, they think the planet is going to be better place 10 years from now.

These findings and others are the results of a Times-Union and H Magazine survey of 100 middle school students from around Northeast Florida to get their views on life.

Last December, KidsHealth.org and Time for Kids magazine did a similar poll with a nationwide online survey of 1,000 middle-schoolers.

For our survey, some questions came from the nationwide poll, some were tweaked and a few new ones were added. All told, 54 boys and 46 girls in grades 6-8, representing 20 schools around North Florida, were queried. Of those, 35 were from private or parochial schools and 65 attend public schools.

When asked how life was going, nearly 50 percent of kids in our survey said "great" or "pretty good," and one local expert says parents had a hand in it.

"Parents are responsible for promoting positive values to their children," said UF & Shands Jacksonville psychologist David Chesire. "A hopeful outlook is key to a child's development and motivation to succeed."

Your kid is not alone. About half of his peers who participated in the nationwide survey agreed.

After all was said and done, experts such as traditional parenting guru and syndicated columnist John Rosemond, Chesire, Duval County Public Schools psychologist Lauren Merriam and Clay County parent and middle school teacher Michelle L. Morgan gave us their thoughts on some of the findings.

Read on and learn what our kids are thinking.

What's worrisome?

Most kids in our survey said they worry a lot about getting good grades (64 percent) and upcoming tests (33 percent) and don't fret too much about popularity (4 percent). The national survey included a few different categories, but tests and homework were the main causes for concern in 70 percent of kids in that survey as well.

What the experts say:

Rosemond: "I attribute this to parental anxiety. Today's American mother feels affirmed in her child's achievement, and that psychological burden is trickled down to her children."

Chesire: "Children in this age group spend most of their waking hours in school. It's understandably their primary concern in life."

Merriam: "Many middle-school-age children are very motivated to do well and are still at the age when they worry about getting good grades to please parents."

Morgan: "Florida's educational system encourages students at this age to plan ahead for careers, so it's always on their mind."

A better world

We asked kids if they think the world will be a better place in 10 years. More than 60 percent said yes. The same was true nationally, with approximately 50 percent of kids believing in a better world 10 years from now.

What the experts say:

Rosemond: "Most kids this age are predominantly optimistic about the state of the world but don't really have the ability to forecast 10 years from now. Their beliefs are based on their present circumstances and experiences."

Chesire: "Encouraging results. Children who do not expect a bright future are more likely to be withdrawn and depressed."

Morgan: "I don't think kids this age really look ahead into the future just yet."

Time well spent?

Kids are busy. When asked how much time they spend a week on certain activities, kids said they spend an average of a little more than six hours per week on homework, almost seven hours playing outdoors, 9.38 hours watching TV and about three hours helping others. Around the U.S., kids spend most of their time doing homework, watching TV and using a computer.

What the experts say:

Merriam: "After a full day of school, kids need a break. Spending a little time watching TV is OK, if homework is done - balance is key."

Dinner's ready.

Almost 50 percent of kids we surveyed said they sit down and eat with their family every day, while six percent said they don't sit together for a meal at all. Nationwide, 60 percent said they eat dinner with their families five to seven times per week.

What the experts say:

Chesire: "It's encouraging that almost half the children indicated that their family always eats together."

The new talk

Kids communicate a lot, it's just not all verbal. We asked how many text messages they send in a typical day. Our findings show kids in our area send on average 179 texts per day. That figure includes one kid who claimed to send an average of 3,000 texts per day. Across the nation, 22 percent send 1-20 texts per day and 8 percent send more than 60.

What the experts say:

Rosemond: "This is indicative of a dumbing down of communications and intellect. They're forming word versions instead of conversation."

Chesire: "I'm not sure if anyone really knows the effects texting will have on the development of communication skills. In fact, it may encourage children to express themselves with fewer words, and improving their ability to communicate. What's more concerning is if they're doing this during lessons at school, or if it's interfering with actual face-to-face social time with their peers."

Morgan: "I believe it! You and I communicate differently, but for these kids, it's a quick way to get their message across to each other."

In time of need

When there's a problem, 77 percent of our respondents said they would turn to a parent for guidance and 63 percent said they'd seek out a friend.

What the experts say:

Chesire: "It's nice to know parents trump peers when it comes to who they'll talk to about life problems."

Making the grade

When asked to grade President Barack Obama on the work he's done so far, most kids gave the president a passing grade. Locally, 18 percent gave the president an A, and 35 percent gave him a B. Nationally, 19 percent gave him an A, 30 percent a B. Locally, 10 percent gave Obama an F, while nationally, 17 percent failed him.

Love vs. money

It's not all about the money. When asked to choose if they would rather have a job they loved or one where they could make tons of money, 79 percent of Northeast Florida kids said they'd choose a job they loved. Nationally, more than 50 percent said they, too, value having a job they loved.

What the experts say:

Rosemond: "Whether you love your job or not, it's the passion you bring to it that's important."

Chesire: "Most children, adolescents and many adults put a premium on being happy at work rather than getting a large paycheck."

Merriam: "It's encouraging that young people are more interested in having a job they love than worrying about money. Ultimately, we put more effort into a job we enjoy than one that we're only doing for the paycheck."

Growing up

Kids were asked if they believe they can grow up to be anything they want. More than 90 percent of kids from our survey said yes, and 60 percent across the U.S. concurred.

What the experts say:

Chesire: "Parents should do all they can to encourage children to strive to reach their dreams."

Merriam: "All children need someone telling them they have the potential to reach their dreams. Instilling confidence at a very young age sets the stage for the rest of their life."

Results tabulated by Assistant Lifestyles Editor Tom Szaroleta.

joy.battehfreiha@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4058

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